PRIORITY: Ja'Bril Rawls' PLAYMAKING Ability Leads Secondary, Which Must Help Linebackers

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Jibrill Rawls must lead the Florida State Secondary

and it must be elite at times

for Florida State to improve its record.

It's wrecked.

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We're going to be talking about Florida State Secondary.

Is it capable with some high end players definitively to make up for what is perceived as a lack of depth?

Yourself included on that list of believing that in the front seven.

Could even a player I'll talk about a little later.

Possibly move into the front seven and special circumstances to help the coverage at the linebacker position.

We'll also get into that.

Major questions across the board was not just stats, but the ones that matter.

There are downs, interceptions, giving up big plays.

We're going to get into that in the middle part of the show and to start again.

No way around it.

Jabreel Rawls in the Florida State Secondary.

It must rise up and here is my take.

Rawls only played in seven games last year.

When he was not in the game for Florida State, whether he just came out to get a breather or he had already been injured,

Florida State Secondary was not the same.

He is an NFL player in terms of length, physicality, anticipation, and just being a good football player.

I'll go over his stats here in a second, but it's different for an opposing team's quarterback and offensive coordinator

to go against the goals when number 11 is lined up out there.

They're probably going to avoid it, but for a state knows that as well.

They can utilize him even when he's really not doing anything because his ability to be on the field is half the battle.

They're going to attack somewhere else.

You know it.

You can play games with those other spots.

You can play coverage.

You can double somebody, whatever it may be.

There is no excuse with him in the secondary for Florida State's defense not to take a step forward.

And of course, this is again assuming he plays the whole season.

He only played seven games in 2025.

But my prediction is the secondary will be improved and significantly so especially in big games.

Now, let's just go over the stats because they're important.

It's actually kind of scary what his numbers were compared to others in only seven games.

Forty tackles in seven games.

That's a pretty darn good starting point.

Forty tackles.

Seventeen stops, which means Triburals did a good job of keeping the opposition from achieving their goal in that play.

He had a pick and his coverage grade.

Well, it was pretty good to look at the numbers overall.

Forty four point two tackling 65.

He obviously played with physicality if you watched him at all last year in above all else.

Maybe this is the best stat that this is pretty rare out of the 23 passes that came his way.

He gave a 15 receptions not great by any means.

But he only allowed six point seven yards per reception.

That is fantastic.

He's a tackler.

He's consistent.

He's a guy that gets to the football and sets a tone.

Missing him from five games last year.

Yeah, that matters.

If he is back.

And he is dialed in.

I say once again, four to state secondary.

It needs to be and it should be better than it was last year.

I don't see how you couldn't look at it that way.

But above all else, he's got to be healthy.

Five games out of the line up a future NFL player.

If he probably goes through the rest season, playing like he was, he'd be in the NFL.

He'd be in the combine and all that.

Missing five games is rough.

So he's got a reason to go out and prove it.

He's a kid from Pensacola.

He wanted to go to Florida state.

This will be an interesting season for him.

And now let's talk about it from a little broader perspective.

I know that Tony White's defense was hammered on.

Nourished truly included because I didn't think he adjusted that well in some ways.

Maybe I miss stated because I should have put the caveat in.

It'd be nice to have your best corner out there that is all around physical.

Makes plays on the ball, et cetera.

And I'm not taking anything away from Jerry Wilson.

He was pretty good too.

But I thought Rawls was better.

He's got more length.

He's got more size.

So if they'd had both with their defense have been better last year.

Of course it would.

But injuries are excuses because Florida state still recruited well enough.

To that end, I put these stats together just as a barometer of my concern of development.

For whatever reason, part of it is injury again.

But these are guys that in some way shape reform didn't live up to the expectations last year in a secondary.

These are just four that are back.

Fondarious Jones.

He got hurt.

Did workout played four games, 70 snaps.

Charles Lester.

He we recruit.

I thought he might get in some reps.

Do some things in not so much.

He only had the opportunity to play two games, nine snaps.

Then you got Jamari how or excuse me eight games 90 snaps.

I thought he was going to play 150 to 200.

He still play, but not as much.

And then Jamari Howard two games nine snaps and then Ricky Knight two games 24 snaps.

Because Florida state didn't go out and spend a ton of money on the secondary in the portal.

And I don't want to rely on purposefully left out anybody from the freshman class.

I could go into that more and I might talk about it a little later in the spring.

But I just so you know, I'm not leaving it out accident with this is on purpose.

At this juncture, it's, but is it north of seventh year?

You shouldn't be relying on any freshman at any position, any given year.

Period.

If they contribute great.

But now we're just to the point like, come on, this is Florida state.

And somebody will probably break through and that's great.

But you've got to have your guys ever coming back showing signs of the boat.

So maybe it's Jamari Howard.

Maybe it's Charles Lester.

I have no idea.

Maybe it's Ricky Knight, not just special teams, but first and 10 plays.

Which one ends up making a move?

If not more than one out of that group.

And again, if a freshman comes in, we know the names.

I'm not going to try to hijack this part of the show.

And they have to have somebody from that group probably play a little bit.

But they shouldn't be a second team guy, even.

Well, it won't definitely not a starter for a state starter should be pretty good this secondary.

But that depth, which one steps up will be massive.

And finally, to wrap up the first part of the show here, rising up is not just statistical.

And I'm going to go into those stats with the quote unquote major questions for those you watching on YouTube on the side bar.

But second segment, I just probably would have major questions.

But they're going to be more clutch for the state would wet itself down on third downs last year.

Not from a statistical standpoint, but the points in the game.

They'd have a team backed up.

Have a chance to get it off the field or the third down.

Have a sack and miss it or have a pick and miss it.

Have an opportunity to tackle the running back on a swing pass.

Keep them short of this.

Whatever it was, that moment where you're like, OK, we got.

Oh, no, those cannot happen this year.

And I know it's easy to throw the coaches under the bus by all means.

The end of the day, players make tackles, interceptions, deflections, defeat box.

They've got to be better in critical moments.

There is no stat for that.

But like how much do you think they improve again?

That's just your own reasoning.

But I watched it just like all Florida state fans did.

They'd been in a good spot.

And then they'd let somebody off the hook.

That just can't happen again this next year.

To that point, we're going to go over more specifics.

I've got some stats.

I want you to ask and learn a little bit about that next year on Lockdown Symbols.

Because these stats, if they just improve just a little bit,

Florida state could be a totally different team in 2026 than it was in 2025.

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Now let's talk about the questions that I have for four to state.

The secondary.

It wasn't bad last year.

Just one of the most timely.

And I have a few stats that I think most four to state fans will relate to.

And these are the prime candidates that you would normally see.

With my favorite stat that isn't talked about enough at and on at the end.

So here we go with that.

Improve on third down D as I noted before the break.

This is super important.

It's not the stat percentage like they were in the top 30 or so top 40.

And third down D they weren't terrible.

But they just had the back breaking plays go against them on third down and fourth down.

Remember the there was a fourth down play against Miami where they gave up a long touch that like you can't allow that.

Well four to state be better at it.

I can't say for sure.

I don't know exactly how the secondary is going to go.

But that's that's an area they have to hit more than 12 intersections.

That's the number they had last year.

I'm going to say yes.

It's year two of Tony white's defense of just from a logistical standpoint.

There should be more understanding.

So if they're not above 12.

Why not?

That would be concerning to me.

Number three.

They gave up 190 point eight yards per game last year through the air.

Will it be less than that this season?

I'm going to say yes.

But at the same time there's a caveat.

Part of the reason I say that is I believe that the run game.

Will be a concern for four to state even more than the past game like defensively.

I don't think the depth up front is going to allow the nose to stop teams in the second half to run the ball.

So that's that's a little iffy.

So let me add a little extra to it here live in in the moment.

Are they going to give up those yards in the second half what teams are trying to play four minute off.

So it's third and fourth, third and threes kind of goes back to number one.

Critical plays that that yardage.

The difference between like 175 and 190 is the difference between a team that's playing in the final four and a team that's sitting on their couch watching the playoffs.

In total.

Like just one or two big plays in a game could be a seven yard swing pass to the running back.

Did you or did you not make the tackle at the line of scrimmage checkbox?

Or everybody in their brother runs the little bootleg play to the tight end dragging across or slipping into the flat.

Again, do you tackle it in a timely fashion?

Yes or no?

That's the difference in a ball game.

And number four, the staff that I was talking about a minute ago passing place of 20 or more yards with a ball physically goes at least 20 yards before anybody makes contact with the defense or offense.

The nose gave up 33 last year.

Not horrible, but if they cut that to like 25 again.

That's the difference between being a good football team and somebody that gets its teeth kicked in by quality competition.

That one more play again that just sucks the wife out of you and you're just sitting in a terrible spot.

It's third and eight.

They're at midfield.

If you get them to punt, at least you got the ball back, but they get a 20 yard play.

Now they're your 31st and 10 and your defense is tired.

That is a problem.

So those are my questions.

What do you think?

Please answer down below.

I'm curious.

I think for a state will do pretty good with all of those to be honest.

It's not the past defense that I'm worried about.

But as an additional point, I just want to say this straightforward.

If the defense, as noted at the beginning, doesn't have any wheat level of past defense in a lot of the key games gets teams that are same level or even more talent like Bama or Miami, you have no chance.

The front seven is not as deep as it needs to be before the state.

We all know that.

If you're not playing at a high level in the secondary and it rolls as an NFL player, I'll get into Ashwin Barker and some other guys statistically just the next thing.

But if you're not hitting on that, you got no chance.

So we're going to we're going to go into that now.

Here are some stats that got me and my channel are coming in.

He's a transfer that's a pretty good player.

He played 608 snaps last year, gave up 358 yards, 13.8 yards passing per game or percent.

Six touchdowns, two interceptions.

He had 26 tackles.

He's a solid player, but he's played one year.

He has a chance to take a major step forward.

How do blue atoms and everybody on Tony white defense handle him?

It's a long kid 6 to 185.

Maybe he's that guy.

Maybe place corner.

Maybe place free safety.

Maybe place nickel.

But the new guys especially in Tony white defense.

I'm not going to pigeon home to one spot.

I assume it's corner, but he could play other spots as well.

A big question I have.

Can Chandler be more physical and accountable?

The one concern really here.

His run defensive grade per on PFF was 47.

That is garbage.

And riding connection with that was just on my tackles.

This tackling grade was 41.2.

Now he was a young player, but that's horrific.

He's an athletic kid is evidenced by his other stats.

So he needs to be better in tackling.

And if he doesn't, he won't play a lot.

Oh, Makai Jones, a kid that comes in from Duke.

He's a really good player.

Played a whole bunch for the blue devil's last year 5, 10, 190.

Probably the most likely nickel candidate.

We'll see.

Again, spring ball kind of helped figure that out.

14 games.

305 snaps.

It's going to be a true sophomore.

Run defensive 17 and 5.9.

Tackling 72.5.

So that kind of fits.

Nickel.

But don't be shocked if you play some corner of safety.

Coverage grade 59.3.

I think he's better towards the line of screaming.

So he's a strong safety.

Nickel.

Those are the most likely candidates for him.

Carson Hobbs is the wild card.

I have no idea what to expect from him.

He was awful at Notre Dame.

Just being honest.

Very freaky athlete.

But the Texas A&M game in particular.

He was a major reason Notre Dame lost that game.

Miami picked on him a little bit.

And then after the A&M game, he barely played.

Over half the snaps.

He had last year Notre Dame with A&M game where he got picked on.

The Notre Dame just.

Put him to the wayside.

Tony, you're not that.

Now he's a four to state.

6 1 180 some pounds and he can fly.

Does he figure out ski.

I'm not sure this is the right defense for him because it's complex.

But if he's not ready to play, who's going to be the backup?

Who's going to compete at Nickel?

So he is a very important player.

Next up.

And this is arguably the most important guy left to talk about.

Ashken Barker.

Look, we all know what his physical traits are.

They're NFL.

62 plus long as I'll get out.

You can probably play corner in a cover three scheme.

He missed the Miami game last year, unfortunately.

488 snaps and 11 contests.

Run defense 69 grade tackling 75.

Really good blitzer over 86 at four sacks.

Coverage grade one to bad 69 and a half.

44 tackles 12 stops.

Are they going to use it?

I'm just going to throw this out as I talked about earlier.

Is he going to come down on the box at the point on like dime?

He might even be the linebacker or the nickel.

They got to come up with some creativity because the linebacker depth is shaky.

How creative are they going to be with it?

Because he's a good football player.

If he's ready to roll, that would be great.

In conjunction with that, they got to figure this out too.

Because KJ Kirkland has not proven to be a good coverage guy.

Coverage grade was 41.2 last year for the love of mankind.

When I saw him in high school, I was convinced he was going to be a stud college.

He didn't figure out Tony white defense obviously.

Is he going to take that step or see somebody needs to play in a more simplistic defensive scheme?

Tony white is almost every coach on planet Earth.

He's stubborn.

Probably ain't going to change much.

But they've got to have Kirkland on the field.

Very veteran player now.

Somebody who's got a lot of athleticism.

Somebody who's going to be a senior.

All of those things.

You need those kinds of players on the field.

But his run defense was good.

73 grade.

Tackling.

Even better.

81.6.

27 tackles.

A sack.

Six stops.

Maybe he's the strong safety and they use him in a very specific role.

And maybe he's the guy that plays some linebacker in specialty situa.

Third and 15 or something like that.

Find ways to steal reps.

Linebacker spot because linebacker and coverage at four state is not a good thing.

Finally, CJ Richard and other transfer.

This is a guy that I'm curious about might be the other safety.

529 snaps.

Illinois State.

15 games.

Run defense 82.

Tackling 90.8.

That's outstanding.

75.9.

Coverage.

51 tackles.

A sack.

Nine stops.

How is he going to adjust to the level?

That's really the only question that I have.

Because the numbers are there.

I don't care what level you're at.

Again.

90.8.

Tackling.

That is outstanding.

When we come back, we're going to discuss.

How is four to state going to make up for those front seven issues with depth?

It's not just him.

It's not just players.

It is a blend of both.

That is next right here.

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For those who show, there's more to it score than what's on the screen.

For me, we're going to talk about the player that was just mentioned.

Here on Locked on Symbols.

And that is Ashman Barker.

Very talented.

At a trying off season.

But now.

He's improved.

He's done the right things in the leadership department with the tour of duty of four to state.

And as a chance to possibly even be a captain.

Four to state needs these kinds of transformations and hats off to Barker for doing it.

Not everybody makes that kind of transition.

And I think that's awesome.

Congrats to Mr Barker.

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Situation of football.

It's the end all be all at all levels.

But especially at the major college and of course NFL levels.

If you don't have players that are versatile,

that are almost positionless,

you're going to get hammered.

It's not going to work.

Fortunately for four to state, they have got a ton of length.

They have a ton of athleticism.

And they've got quite a bit of experience on top of it.

With hopefully some younger guys pushing up the charts.

Including transfers.

Is it going to work out?

I don't know.

But this is what I think in terms of situation of football.

To help them make up for what I believe to be depth issues.

Especially at linebacker.

Number one.

I've already talked about either Barker and or.

I hope they don't have to do a ton of this.

But one of the other safeties at very least.

Maybe it's Kirkland.

We're going to have to help out on dime playing nickel and or linebacker.

Like something you wouldn't normally think.

Somebody's going to get hurt.

They're not the deepest team in the secondary.

But the front end ought to be pretty talented anyway.

Maybe they have some guys trying different spots.

We'll see how it works.

It's year two for Tony White's defense.

There will be improvements.

That's pretty much inevitable with the total number of reps in practice.

But they've also again, they.

They were so bad at linebacker.

On third down.

I'll never forget this.

As long as I was the Pittsburgh game last year.

The running back for Pittsburgh had 150 yards received.

That's not heard of.

And there wasn't an 80 yard player.

Something that really.

Kind of overran the stance.

It was 15 to 20 yard place.

Just killing the goals in the middle of the field.

Or on swing passes.

And they just didn't tackle it.

Like it was horrible.

I think having a safety play in the middle of the field.

A little bit more.

Or not missed the robber position, but like.

Drop into the box.

He in the running backs and the tight ends underneath.

That's a possibility.

But again, I think in some way, shape or form,

they're going to have to give up some size.

In my opinion, again, I don't know if Tony White or any other coach will want to do this.

And play a linebacker in the dime defense straight up at linebacker.

There's no linebackers on the field unless they're witsy.

Like they straight up or put you on the edge, go get him.

You don't have any other responsibility.

and then put somebody there because I have no faith

in four states linebackers to cover.

That's my opinion.

I hope I am dead wrong on that, and I very well could be.

But my experience with this, guys that can't cover

after a couple of years, that's pretty much who they are.

And if you look at the depth chart in linebacker,

which we talked about late last week,

it's basically junior seniors and graduate students.

These are guys who've been around, they are who they are.

It's only like one guy maybe that's pretty good at coverage.

And that's not going to get it done.

And what if that guy's gassed and or what if that guy's injured?

You have to prepare for the worst in spring ball,

which starts on Monday today.

And on that note, there's another important part of this.

Maybe this is the way that you kind of throw a curve ball

that's some of those really good teams

that have great coordinators that will carve you up

if you don't have something special for them.

I'd say you got to do this every week.

The teams like Bama, Miami,

anybody that has a special running back or tight end,

forced they got killed by those guys last year.

They can't go with the same plan,

with the same level of talent at linebacker,

and then expect better results.

I know coaches think, oh, we'll coach them up.

If you don't have a backup plan,

yours truly in amongst numerous other people,

will be very quick to point out the Tony and his staff

didn't adjust.

Sometimes you got to suck up your pride

and admit that it just didn't work.

But we got to change.

Coaches, I know I say this constantly,

they ain't change, do it anyway.

It's better than getting fired.

If they have the same kind of results

in critical moments on third downs

because they're linebackers,

just can't get it done, the staffing will make it.

Somebody like Barker, somebody like Kirkland,

whoever underneath, that's fine.

Whatever it may be, maybe it's another guy.

They have to find another way

to help that front seven from the secondary,

and it could be a combination of using players,

different coverages, different ideas.

Maybe they go blitz happy, they got to use

that secondary in another way.

Because they got a lot of length and talent there.

Utilize it.

Make sure it is going to be a part

of a very diverse package to hide and mask.

What is, again, perceived to be

a not so great coverage unit at linebacker.

If they do that, at least they give themselves a chance.

Again, some of these teams that are veteran quarterbacks,

they're not going to just turn it over.

And they will miss nickel and dyeing you down the field

because Tony's defense tries to keep everything

in front of it.

But against good quarterbacks, that's what they'll do.

They will take the five yards every time.

And that's when you're in trouble.

So we'll see what Florida State does,

and I'm curious to hear by the end of spring.

If we're hearing anything about this stuff,

and I know they're going to try to keep it under wraps.

If they're just playing it straight down the middle,

and we get that report, it's not going to end well.

They have to have to have to find a way

to use that secondary up closer to the line of scrimmage

in some way, shape, or form.

And I even think, literally, that putting one of those guys

as the nickel and backer is a great idea.

Third and long cannot be a problem anymore for a state

like it was against Pittsburgh.

That's just not acceptable.

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at Venmo.com slash college card.

The Venmo master card is issued by the Bank Court bank

NA, select schools available, Venmo stash terms

and exclusions apply at Venmo.me slash stash terms.

Max, $100 cashback per month.

When you want spring break to feel like

in a moment away from the kids to feel like

and your reward status to feel like

Thank you for being a Hilton Honors Gold member.

Enjoy your daily food and beverage credit.

And now that nightcap in the lounge can feel like

it matters where you stay.

With Hilton Honors, earn the most valuable gold status faster

and unlock benefits at over 9,000 locations worldwide.

Hilton for this day.